Lok Sabha is also known as the "House of the People" or the lower house and has members from 543 parliamentary constituencies. All of its members are directly elected by citizens of India on the basis of universal adult franchise, except two who are appointed by the President of India. Every citizen of India who is over 18 years of age, irrespective of gender, caste, religion or race, who is otherwise not disqualified, is eligible to vote for the Lok Sabha.
The Constitution provides that the maximum strength of the House be 552 members. It has a term of five years. To be eligible for membership in the Lok Sabha, a person must be a citizen of India and must be 25 years of age or older, mentally sound, should not be bankrupt and should not be criminally convicted. At present, the strength of the house is 140 members.
The total elective membership is distributed among the States in such a way that the ratio between the number of seats allotted to each State and the population of the State is, so far as practicable, the same for all States.
Up to 530 members represent of the territorial constituencies in States, up to 20 members represent the Union Territories and no more than two members from Anglo- Indian community can be nominated by the President of India if he or she feels that the community is not adequately represented. House seats are apportioned among the states by population.
A total of 131 seats (18.42%) are blocked for representatives of Scheduled Castes (84) and Scheduled Tribes (47) only, in a practice known as reservation. The Women's Reservation Bill proposes reserving 33% of the seats in Lok Sabha for women.
Qualifications:
Article 84 (Part V.—The Union) of Indian Constitution sets qualifications for being a member of Lok Sabha, which are as follows:
1. He/ She should be a citizen of India, and must subscribe before the Election Commission of India an oath or affirmation according to the form set out for the purpose in the Third Schedule of Indian Constitution.
2. He/ She, in the case of a seat in the House of the People, should not be less than twenty-five years of age; and
3. He/ She possesses such other qualifications as may be prescribed in that behalf by or under any law made by Parliament.
However, a member can be disqualified of being a member of Parliament:
1. If he/ she holds office of profit;
2. If he/ she is of unsound mind and stands so declared by a competent court
3. If he/ she is an un discharged insolvent;
4. If he/ she is not a citizen of India, or has voluntarily acquired the citizenship of a foreign State, or is under any acknowledgment of allegiance or adherence to a foreign State;
5. If he/ she is violating party discipline (as per Tenth schedule of the constitution); disqualified under Representation of People Act.
Furthermore, as per article 101 (Part V.—The Union) of Indian Constitution; A person cannot be:
(1) A member of both Houses of Parliament and provision shall be made by Parliament by law for the vacation by a person who is chosen a member of both Houses of his seat in one House or the other.
(2) A member both of Parliament and of a House of the Legislature of a State.
